Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber is in Portland this morning to announce the 18th franchise in MLS and Portland has been selected as the lucky city.
Just a day after Seattle made an amazing debut in MLS, Portland will join Vancouver as one of the two cities chosen to be awarded teams set to begin play in 2011.
The decision puts an end to a lengthy expansion process that saw several markets in the United States and Canada make pitches to join MLS. St. Louis and Ottawa ended up as the runner-ups in a race that has resulted in the creation of a cluster of teams in the Pacfic Northwest that should provide MLS with some amazing rivalries.
The announcement of Portland as Major League Soccer newest franchise will take place at 1pm. You can follow the ceremony on the MLS website.
What do you think of Portland being chosen? Wish it had been St. Louis? Loving the Portland-Seattle-Vancouver inclusion in MLS? Ready to start planning some trips to the Pacific Northwest?
Share your thoughts below.
“To you who are Sounders fans… WOW! Thank you for your passion and joy. Your example paved the way for this expansion. Portland and Vancouver fans owe you greatly.”
No…we don’t owe them anything. Until last Thursday the only thing Seattle ever did was have 40 Krispy Kreme fans with a fog machine who like to chant things like “you suck a$$hole” at college kids in preseason games. On Thursday I saw a great corporate launch with a bunch of free scarves. But no…we don’t owe them anything.
Congrats to both Portland and vancouver, hopefully in a few years I can do a Sat/Wed/Sat trip to the northwest with the Red Bulls
I guess I’m just going to have to win Powerball so I can put in an offer for a STL team. *Sigh* Apparently I have to do everything…
The “away” crowds for these NorthLeft games are going to make PDX, Seattle, and Vancouver awesome rivalries! I really miss living in PDX right about now…
Now if we can just get Timber Jim back! How awesome would he look on ESPN sawing up that log!? Way better than those lame Revolution soldiers firing their blanks!
THERE’S NO PITY IN THE ROSE CITY!
“If this ‘delay’ in St. Louis receiving a franchise results in their stadium being closer to the City than Collinsville…consider it a blessing!”
I have always been pro-Collinsville proposal (because it was all STL had), but I have to agree with Dominick here. Cooper should scrap and restart. His proposal obviously isn’t good enough for STL. And it would kind of suck to have to drive by the landfill on I-55 every time to see a game.
Downtown would be awesome. The thing is space. Where would it go? Maybe when the Rams leave in a few years they can bulldoze the EJ Dome and create a soccer stadium (they’re not booing MLS, they’re saying “Bruuuuuce”). Maybe the Kiel Opera house could be demolished to make room for a stadium (homeless and pigeons, you have been warned). Both of these are merely pipe dreams of course.
Cooper’s proposal eats up a ton of land with all the extra amenities (practice fields, etc.) Maybe some sort of co-op could be formed to have youth fields in Collinsville and at Soccer Park, while having a downtown stadium. Then the whole area is represented. THAT would be cool.
Maybe STL can get a USL-8 side going and play on the Softball Park Village outside of Busch stadium. I’m free on Saturdays…anyone else?? Half grass/half parking lot..that would be an interesting home field advantage!
Congrats Portland and Vancouver.
Why on earth would Chivas USA relocate to St. Louis?!? The team is sister to a Mexican club. Does St. Louis have as sizeable a Mexican population as LA? That scenario doesn’t make sense to me at all. You’d sooner see the Las Vegas Crew than Chivas St. Louis.
Posted by: Brokenbil | March 20, 2009 at 04:34 PM
FURTHERMORE…Does St. Louis have a large Chivas fanbase… That is why the team name sucks.
Brokenbil said “Why on earth would Chivas USA relocate to St. Louis?!?”
It is speculation based on the fact that Chivas has not brought as many fans as was thought and that they are having to share a stadium with the Galaxy. Probably not going to happen. If they were to move as Chivas it would be to San Diego. To move to ST Louis they would probably have to sale the team.
Why on earth would Chivas USA relocate to St. Louis?!? The team is sister to a Mexican club. Does St. Louis have as sizeable a Mexican population as LA? That scenario doesn’t make sense to me at all. You’d sooner see the Las Vegas Crew than Chivas St. Louis.
This is a dream come true for me, I started playing soccer in Bellingham (between Seattle and Vancouver) in the early 70’s then grew into a fan with the NASL Timbers.
The most crucial aspect for the league is that 1)these teams will be viable and profitable and 2)soccer’s passion will be displayed.
To you who are Sounders fans… WOW! Thank you for your passion and joy. Your example paved the way for this expansion. Portland and Vancouver fans owe you greatly.
let’s hope that they can match the Sounder’s enthusiasm.
“The Pacific NW Triangle! Great move by MLS. Add three teams that already have solid fan bases as witnessed last night, and already hate each other, and are within driving distance! I love it.” -Trex
I couldn’t agree more, there is going to be some great soccer in the coming years in the Pacific Northwest. Also Portlands PGE Park will have easy access located right in downtown Portand. I can see Soccer pubs benefiting from this as the fans can hang out there before and after games. As far as St. Louis fans, I feel for you. 2012 has to be the year or Possibly Chivas USA relocates, just as San Jose moved to Houston in ’06.
congrats to Portland. HORRIBLE team name. But now its time to move south MLS!!! hit the southeast. I’m ready for some roadtrips to charleston and miami!
Any other Fire fans out there who see Seattle, Vancouver, and now Portland’s MLS franchises and think—“Why is our stadium stuck out in Bridgeview?!?!” Yes, i know Bridgeview was the only one that put a proposal together, the economic cost of land near a CTA stop, etc., etc….but–wow it would add a lot to be in a more urban setting. If this ‘delay’ in St. Louis receiving a franchise results in their stadium being closer to the City than Collinsville…consider it a blessing!
I am a little sad to see St. Louis not get a franchise. There is simply too much history in that area to not have a team. It is also odd that St. Louis will have a WPS team, but not an MLS team. Could a USL team be on the horizon? Chivas St. Louis is also not a bad idea.
It certainly looks like having a USL team that performs is an entree into the league, but the tradition between Seattle, Vancouver and Portland is long and the proximity will ensure good attendences at those games to go along with the rivalry.
IN a sense, Garber and the MLS higher ups are playing this one smart. Look at what has happened with expansion. The clubs are closer together. One can drive from Portland to Vancouver and from DC to New York in a reasonable amount of time. With teams now more geographically linked, rivalries will build and as we all know rivalries draw crowds and drive quality play.
awesome. Even though I live in NYC, I know that the league made the right decision. The Northwest rivalries will be very good for the league. The pacific northwest supports soccer much more than the Northeast, so those rivalries will be the best thing in MLS. This type of competition will certainly help the league grow.
I am impressed by MLS more each year that passes and with 90% of their decisions.
– a very excited soccer fan